The majority of my life has been spent abusing drugs. Growing up, I had no one watching over me. My father was murdered when I was three, and my mother was bedridden battling breast cancer. My older brothers would try to steal her pain medication, and when I hid it from them they would beat me up. I had no role models. I started hanging out with the older teenagers who first introduced me to drugs at the age of 10.
By the age of 12, when my mother passed away, I was using any drug I could get my hands on — acid, cocaine, LSD, anything. By my mid-twenties, I was living anywhere I could and was heavily addicted to crack cocaine. Every day I woke up and thought about how to get drugs and how to get the money to buy them. I'd do any job, just as long as I had the money to support my habit. I've even spent up to $1,600 in one day on drugs.
That was my life for over 30 years.
Then, a few years ago, I met Christa. Christa showed me a life I didn't know existed. I had never known anything beyond using drugs, so this was something special to me. When we first met, she didn't know I was dependent on drugs, but it didn't take long for her to figure out that I had a problem.
Christa never gave up on me. She did her best to help me quit, but like most people addicted to drugs, the urge to use is too overwhelming. Over and over again I would try, and over and over I would fail. At that point I felt hopeless. I didn't care if I lived or died. My addiction was in control of my life.
One day I left Christa at home to go on a crack binge. Christa moved my things out that same day and put them in storage. For two weeks I was homeless and sleeping under a bridge. All the guys in my crew were either dead or in jail. I had hit rock bottom. If I didn't change, I was going to be next.
Finding PROMETA
Once again, Christa never gave up on me. While I was gone, she heard about a treatment program for substance dependence, called PROMETA®, on the news. She researched the treatment program and contacted our local PROMETA provider. She gave me an ultimatum — either try PROMETA, or she was gone for good. I chose PROMETA.
Shortly after starting the PROMETA Treatment Program, I realized I wasn't thinking about drugs. For once, I had no desire to use. I told Christa that it was the best I had felt in 35 years, and she burst into tears. After I completed the PROMETA treatment, I entered myself into a rehab program, and was finally able to focus on the causes of my addiction.
My recovery is going great. I removed myself from the social circle I used drugs with and attend a 12-step program meeting about five times a week. The meetings are important to my recovery, and I believe I couldn't have done it without PROMETA. Once my desire to use was curbed, I was open to change and ready to listen.
Christa and I are getting along better than I could have ever imagined. Christa says she can see the change in my eyes, and even in my walk. I see it too. I'm able to do simple tasks, like take care of yard work and things around the house. PROMETA has been a blessing for us. After 35 years of addiction, I feel like a new man.
Chance
